Classic Chili con Carne
A tasty spicy stew with beef, beans, and vegetables. This flavorful dish from Mexican cuisine will appeal to anyone who enjoys bold, fiery flavors. Juicy beef, soft beans, and an aromatic sauce will leave no one indifferent.
Updated : 10 August, 2026
Easy
About 30 min.
Ingredients
250 grams
Beef fillet
200 grams
Bean
1
Bell pepper
0.5
Celery stalk
1
Onion
1
Garlic
150 grams
Tomato
1 tablespoon
Vegetable oil
1 teaspoon
Salt
to taste
Hot pepper, ground
1 cup
Water
to taste
Ground black pepper
to taste
Dry spices
Table
Table of volume measurements:
- teaspoon - 5 ml
- dessert spoon - 10 ml
- tablespoon - 20 ml
- glass - 200 ml
Preparation
Step 1
How do you make classic chili con carne? Prepare the ingredients. Use clean beef flesh, or you can use ground beef right away. The beans can be canned or pre-boiled, but not until fully done. Use 1 large bell pepper, or 2 smaller ones. If you can use a fresh chili pepper instead of dried spices, it is better to do so. I used puréed tomatoes, but you can use tomatoes in their own juice or fresh tomatoes with the skins removed.
Step 2
Rinse the beef fillet under cold running water and dry it. The beef can be passed through a meat grinder or finely chopped with a sharp knife. I will chop it.
Step 3
Peel the onion and garlic. Finely chop them together with the celery. Place a deep pan or a thick-bottomed pot on the heat and warm it up. Pour in the vegetable oil and fry the prepared vegetables until translucent.
Step 4
Add the chopped beef or ground beef to the fried vegetables. Fry the meat with the vegetables over medium heat for about 10 minutes. If using ground beef, try to break it up while frying so there are no lumps.
Step 5
Wash the bell pepper, remove the seeds and stem. Cut the pepper as you like and add it to the meat. Add the ground paprika and dried spices. Fry everything together, stirring, for 5–7 minutes. If you are using fresh chili pepper, add it at this stage too.
Step 6
Add the crushed tomatoes and mix. For a richer flavor, you can add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste. Season with salt and ground black pepper.
Step 7
Add the prepared beans and mix. Pour boiling water over the dish so the liquid completely covers the contents of the pan. Simmer over medium heat under a lid until done. If the beans are already fully cooked, do not add them yet; simmer the meat without them for about 1 hour. Then add the beans and simmer everything together for another 30 minutes. With canned beans, simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 8
Let the finished chili con carne stand in the pan under the lid for 10–15 minutes, then serve. I had this dish for dinner with boiled potatoes.
Author note
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